(HealthDay News) -- A picnic is a great way to celebrate the warmer weather, but it's important to prevent food from spoiling and becoming a health hazard.

The foodsafety.gov website offers these tips for enjoying a picnic:

Prepare a list of essentials such as a cooler packed with ice, a food thermometer, containers for packing leftovers, paper towels and a supply of clean utensils. Make sure the picnic site has running water, trash cans, grills and picnic tables.

Thaw any frozen food in the refrigerator (never on the counter) or grill it frozen.

Store all perishables in a cooler packed with ice.

Wash hands before preparing food. Make sure any meat is thoroughly cooked. Check with a food thermometer.

Never leave food (even the cooler) in the sun. Store everything in a shady spot and refrigerate leftovers as soon as you return home.

The list of medical terms above are retrieved automatically from the article.

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